


Melancholy Kaleidoscope

by FelicitySmoaksx



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Carrie Wilson Redemption, F/M, Good Person Carrie Wilson, Grief/Mourning, Julie is missing Rose, Possesssed!Nick, Protective Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Protective Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters Needs a Hug (Julie and The Phantoms), Sunset Curve (Julie and The Phantoms)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29452245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelicitySmoaksx/pseuds/FelicitySmoaksx
Summary: Julie was having one of those days. One of those days where just the thought of getting out of bed was a heavy feat because her mother was gone. A year later after her mother had passed and Julie still had her bad days.
Relationships: Julie Molina & Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Reggie Peters & Luke Patterson & Alex Mercer
Comments: 10
Kudos: 86





	Melancholy Kaleidoscope

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing like crazy because I wanted to try and get this out by Valentine's Day and I think I did it! Big Shoutout to stydixa on Tumblr for the prompt: “How Luke introduced her to rock? meaning he's a big part of her life before knowing her." and to the anon who also gave the prompt of: "Julie wears Luke’s sweatshirt which results in him no longer being able to function. Or Julie sees Luke like he was during Now Or Never (y’kown sweaty rocker boy look) where she wouldn’t be able to function.” 
> 
> Hope you don't mind I combined them! Also, this story is in the same universe as my 'Hollywood Tragedy Aftermath' one-shot. You don't have to read it to understand this. You can you want, but all you need to know is that Bobby didn't take the guy's songs by choice and the guys all know this! 
> 
> The title comes from an All Time Low song by the same name. Anyways, [here's my tumblr!](http://felicitysmoaksx.tumblr.com/)  
> Happy reading!

**Melancholy Kaleidoscope**

Julie was having one of those days. One of those days where just the thought of getting out of bed was a heavy feat because her mother was gone. A year later after her mother had passed and Julie still had her bad days. Yet she still had to get out of bed and go to school, so she sat up and rubbed her eyes and put on her comfiest clothes. A pair of sweats, a t-shirt, and a long striped grey hoodie. (The hoodie wasn’t hers, but a certain guitar-playing ghost’s.) Yet Julie was so out of it that she didn’t even notice.

Ray was studying her as soon as she turned the corner to the kitchen and her dismay, Reggie was there too. The bassist smiled and greeted her brightly before Ray did. Though the smile drifted slightly when she couldn’t smile back. 

“Julie?” He questioned softly. 

“Morning Mija,” Ray greeted softly. The smile was gone completely from Reggie’s face at the man’s next words, “It’s not a very good day is it?” 

She shook her head at the question. Her father hummed and instantly, Julie felt the hair on the back of her neck stand because she knew what he was going to say before he said it. She knew that hum. 

“Maybe we should see if Dr. Turner can see you today.” 

“Dad, no. No.” She said. But she could tell that her dad wasn’t hearing her. The gears were already working in his head. It was time to bring out the secret weapon, though Julie hated using it. She just hated going to see her therapist even more. 

“Dad, am I not allowed to have a bad day, once in a while without you trying to ship me to see Dr. Turner?” Her heart thumped loudly in her chest when Ray’s face transformed with guilt. This would be why she hated using her secret weapon. 

“Of course, but I’m worried Julie. You haven’t had a bad day in a while,” since the guys had dropped into her life, “and you’ve been so happy lately. I can’t help but think maybe a session would be helpful” 

She wanted to say she was fine. But she knew she wasn’t. Instead, she told him, “I’ll be okay. It’s just today is a little worse.”

Avoiding both Reggie’s and her father’s eyes, she made a quick excuse about getting to school early and pretended she was too far away to hear her father’s pleas for her to wait. Once she was walking down the driveway, she breathed a sigh of relief. Julie hated that she was worrying her dad, but there were just some days where she couldn’t fake that her mother not being here anymore, was weighing her down like a lead balloon. 

Her sigh of relief didn’t last for long when Reggie poofed a few feet in front of her, “ _ Gah! _ I told all three of you to stop doing that!” 

“Sorry Julie,” Reggie’s face transformed into one of apology, but it quickly shifted again so he looked both worried and sad. 

“What did Ray mean by _ ‘it’s not a very good day?’ _ ” She should’ve expected the question. Especially when her father had brought Dr. Turner into the equation. But it still threw her off guard. (Or maybe it was the nausea that suddenly rose in her stomach, that was so reminiscent of the nausea that appeared when her father broke the news to her and Carlos that their mother was gone.) 

“Julie?” Reggie’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Shaking her head, Julie’s brown eyes refocused on the bassist. He looked expectantly at her. She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself as if she could keep her sadness from leaking out if her arms were tight enough, “He meant was I missing my mom more than usual.” 

Reggie’s frown deepened, but Julie didn’t think she could make it better this time. Though she tried, “I’ll be okay Reggie. Most days are good days. Some days are okay and then there are days like this, where it was a struggle to get out of bed. But I promise I’ll be okay.” 

The bassist nodded, though his eyes were still sad. He wrapped her in a tight hug before she could continue her walk to school. 

“You know we’re here if you need us right? Me, Alex, and Luke?” He whispered. She nodded. She did know that. Her boys had her back, just like she had theirs. 

“Okay, I’ll see you later then and I’ll also let the guys know you might not be up for band rehearsal today. Love you, Jules.” Then with those parting words, Reggie poofed away and Julie continued her trek to school. 

**~~~**

“How was breakfast with Ray?” Alex asked from where he sat in the loft, twirling one of his drum sticks when he heard the tell-tell sound of a ghost poofing in. Seeing as Luke was currently plucking at his guitar strings, humming out a new melody to test it, it had to be Reggie. When he didn’t answer, the drummer peered over the edge of the railing to see his best friend, just sitting there. His head was down, but from where Alex was sitting, he could see the deep frown that marred Reggie’s usually sweet face. 

Poofing down to the ground floor, Alex hit Luke in the arm to get his attention before he made his way over to where the bassist sat. 

“Reg? You okay?” 

“What’s wrong?” Now Luke stood beside him. They only had time to exchange a confused glance, before their friend was speaking. 

“When we do crossover, do you guys ever think about how Julie will handle it?” They exchanged another look, this one of varying concern and alarm. Almost in sync, they sunk into the couch on either side of the bassist. Alex on his left and Luke on his right. 

“What brought this on?” Alex asked gently, slinging his arm around Reggie’s shoulders. 

“Is it Caleb’s stamp again?” Luke questioned without stopping to hear the answer before he was asking his next one, “Did it come back??” 

Reggie shook his head and both of the other ghosts sighed in relief. Alex repeated his question, “What brought this on Reg? I’m supposed to be the emotional one remember?” 

The blond’s attempt at a joke didn’t go over so well. His best friend didn’t even crack a smile. 

“Julie’s really missing her mom today,” the bassist finally answered in a small voice, “Ray called it a  _ bad day _ . She didn’t even seem like Julie. It was like...well, she was a ghost of who she is.”

Reggie paused then. Looking up, he caught both of his best friends’ eyes, before he gazed back down at his hands. They had clenched into fists. 

“Her mom’s been gone a year right? I guess it just made me realize Julie will be sad and have more  _ bad days _ in front of her when we eventually crossover.” He mumbled the words quietly. Alex and Luke looked at each other over Reggie’s head with matching frowns. 

They had been so elated and relieved that they didn’t crossover and that Caleb’s stamps were gone, that they never lingered on the future too much.  _ Julie’s future where they were no longer with her.  _ But maybe they should have. 

“Reg, that’s why we have to make all of these moments we have with Julie that much more special.” Alex didn’t know what exactly to say to his best friend’s...what guilt? Sadness? Worry? A combination of all three? But that’s what came out when he opened his mouth. 

“Alex is right,” Luke agreed and the blond felt an arm on top of his, “It’s going to hurt no matter what when we cross over. Her and us because none of us what to leave Julie. But we have to live our afterlives despite that fear.”

Alex nodded, “Besides Willie says some ghosts never find out their unfinished business and we don’t have the slightest idea of what ours is. So we’ll be with Julie for a while.” 

“Feel better Reg?” Luke asked as he rubbed his friend’s shoulder soothingly. To both of the other ghosts’ dismay, he shook his head. He wasn’t okay. 

“I will be though.” Reggie gave a weak smile to his friends before he wrapped an arm around Alex’s and Luke’s shoulders. Pulling each other into group hugs was more Luke’s thing, but the bassist squeezed them tight, “Thanks, guys.”

The other two guys squeezed him tighter in response. 

“Julie might not be up for rehearsal today,” Reggie said after a moment, “I think one of us should hang out with her when she gets home. But I think all three of us would overwhelm her right now.” 

“We can do that,” Alex answered but his ocean blue eyes looked to the guitarist when he spoke. Reggie’s eyes also found Luke. 

“Why me?” 

“Because as much as we love Julie, you’re the one who’s closest to her.” Alex pointed out. 

“And she was wearing your hoodie today,” Reggie added. Luke felt his eyes widen as Alex smirked at him knowingly. Unaware of this going on, the bassist continued.

“I didn’t say anything to her about it. I don’t even think she registered it was Luke’s and I wasn’t going to say anything to her, with her bad day hitting her today.” 

**~~~**

Julie was operating solely on autopilot today and she knew everyone could tell. She hadn’t seen Flynn yet. Julie knew she wouldn’t until after their third classes. Or she would if Flynn hadn’t texted her earlier to say that she was sick. Nick, on the other hand, was acting off...He seemed mean, almost cruel at times. A little aggressive too, especially when she showed up to school, wearing what she realized was Luke’s long grey hoodie. He made an offhand comment about how if she was dating someone, she really shouldn’t lead people on. He said it too loudly too, in a crowded hallway with a hand on her arm, so she couldn’t run away. That and she really just didn’t have the energy to fight or argue with anyone today. Even if it wasn’t true. 

“You know Nick, I could say the same to you. Back when we were together, you were pawing after Julie like some little lost puppy dog.” Julie looked up to see Carrie standing there, with her arms folded. Left hip jutting out, “And stop with the toxic masculinity. Just because a girl wears a boy’s jacket doesn’t mean she has to be dating him.” 

With Nick now being thoroughly chastised, Carrie grabbed Julie’s arm and pulled her through the gathered crowd like a queen who couldn’t be bothered to care what her subjects thought of her. (And away from Nick’s scowl of displeasure, but Julie was so thrown off by Carrie helping her that she didn’t see it)

Carrie stopped when they reached a less crowded spot of the hall. She turned to Julie, “You okay? That with Nick back there was a little intense.” 

“Not really but not because of Nick. I’m just having a bad day, ” it wasn’t exactly the truth. But it was close enough to it, ”And not that I’m not grateful for the assist, but why?” 

Julie’s question was met with silence as Carrie’s eyes shifted downward.

“I guess I should start from your performance at the Orpheum. You and your band were really good. It ironically made me think of all those performances we used to put on for our parents when we were little kids and your speech...your speech reminded me of Aunt Rose.” She paused, a sad smile gracing her face. Julie nodded, her own sad smile becoming a mirror image to the other girl.

“It also made me realize that I miss us being friends. You. Me and Flynn.” Carrie seemed to take Julie’s stunned silence as a response because her sad smile transformed into a rueful smirk. She clicked her tongue, “After everything I’ve said and done to you and Flynn, you probably don’t believe me.”

“I do!” Julie was quick to reassure her, “I just think all of this could’ve been avoided, if I hadn’t pushed everyone away when my mom…” Julie squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her voice hitching a little. A year later, almost a year a half and she couldn’t refer to her mom in the past tense, unless she absolutely had to. Like the night she met the guys. Luke had known nothing about her or her family, so she had to break the news about her mother. 

“This could’ve been avoided if I hadn’t let you. I should’ve been like Flynn and been…”

“Like the crazy glue of best friends?” Julie recycled Flynn’s words. When Carrie nodded with a small laugh, she added: “Those were her words. Not mine.”

“Of course they were,” then she winced when she realized how catty and petty those words sounded. The brunette shook her head as if she was trying to erase the words on etch-a-sketch. Her eyes refocused on Julie as she slowly held up a hand, “Look I’m not saying we’ll ever be able to go back to the way things were, but I’m willing to try, if you and Flynn are.”

And despite the fog that Julie was in, she reached her own hand out and took Carrie’s. 

“You can sit with me and the girls at lunch if you want since Flynn isn’t here.” there was a mischievous glint in her eyes then in the brunette’s eyes, “Besides I want to hear all about the guy.” 

“Why would you want to hear about Luke?” That’s when Julie realized her mistake and by the way, the other girl’s eyes lit up, Carrie had caught it. But Julie tried to redirect the conversation anyway, “And what happened to ’ _ And stop with the toxic masculinity. Just because a girl wears a boy’s jacket doesn’t mean she has to be dating him’.”  _

“That was because Nick had no right to talk to you like that, but the fact remains. There is a guy  _ and it’s his jacket _ .” A grin split the brunette’s face then, “It's the guitarist, right? In your band?”

At Julie’s nod, Carrie’s grin grew wider. “Yeah, you guys have a vibe.” 

Well since Carrie most likely wouldn’t let this go, the piano player couldn’t help but add, “He calls it an interesting little relationship.” 

Now the grin could rival a Christmas tree with how bright it was. When the bell rang a moment later, she led Julie down the hallway, all the while asking questions about Luke, and even though it was a bad day, the pianist couldn’t help the small smile because walking with Carrie as they made their way to music, the other gossiping all the way there, reminded her of happier times when her mother was still here. 

**~~~**

Despite her slightly better mood than when she left this morning, all Julie wanted to do was climb into her bed and block out the world. Luckily, she could because it was Friday. Homework could wait till Sunday. Or until she felt better, whichever came first. She thought, nodding to herself as she made her way up the steps.

“Reggie told you, did he?” She asked when she walked into her bedroom to see Luke, sitting at her desk. Luke didn’t answer. Instead, he was looking at her with wide eyes. His lips parting as she watched his eyes travel from her feet to her face. 

“Luke?” She questioned, then she said his name again, but louder. “ _ Luke? _ ” 

Her loud voice seemed to do the trick. Luke shook his head. A gentle smile crossing his lips, when he met her brown eyes. 

“You’re wearing my jacket.” He observed. Julie’s hands flattened against the grey fabric, as a feeling of self-consciousness overtook her stomach, making it drop. “Is that okay? I can take it off if you want.” 

She moved to take it off, but Luke stopped her by shaking his head, his hands outstretched in front of him

“No, no!” He said quickly. Then the guitarist chuckled softly when she stopped to look at him. His hand reached up to rub his neck, “What I mean is that...it looks really suits you. Though it is really big on you.”

“Yeah, when I wear it again, I’ll have to wear my combat boots with it. Those things at least give me height. Whereas if I’m wearing this, I look shorter than normal.” It was then that the piano player realized what she had said. She looked at Luke to see his grin was wide, his front teeth catching his bottom lip. Julie folded her arms. 

“Did you actually need something?” She asked before she frowned. That sounded harsh even to her. But Luke, to his credit, shrank his grin into a gentle smile. 

“When Reggie told us that you might be up for band rehearsal, he also mentioned that today might be a rough day for you. None of us liked the idea of you being alone...with that. But Reggie thought all of us at once might overwhelm you. So I’m here to make sure you’re not by yourself.” Luke explained, and with how awkward it sounded coming out of his mouth, Julie could guess that he was nervous. If he still had blood in his veins, she thought he’d be blushing. The thought brought a small smile to her face. 

“I was just going to crawl into bed and wait for the hurt to...hurt less.” It would never truly go away, The teenager knew that much. But the feeling that kept her down most of the day because of that hurt would. 

“We can do that. I can move your desk chair and we can talk? Or I could talk? You know for background noise? Or maybe you want to sit in silence. Whatever you want, Jules. I’m here.” Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. Julie was sure he could probably hear it.  _ What had she done to deserve these boys?  _ She knew if Luke wasn’t here for whatever reason, Reggie or Alex would be right here to take his place. Those were just the kind of boys her phantoms were. 

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and fiddled with it for a moment. Then the sound of her mother’s favorite song playlist came out of the Bluetooth speaker that sat on Julie’s desk, poured into the room softly. Off came the pianist’s shoes next and Luke’s coat. It was placed on top of her mother’s chest. Luke stood to move her desk chair, but Julie stopped him with a hand on his wrist. (It was still a slight thrill that she didn’t go through him like he was made of smoke.) Instead, the girl pulled him over to her bed and pulled back the covers, motioning him to get in first.

“What about boundaries?” He asked during a moment of hesitation. 

“It’s different when I invite you.” She told him and that was all it took. He kicked off his sneakers that had definitely seen better days before he slipped under the covers. He crawled to the other side, making room for Julie. She crawled in after, the song ending and changing over into the next. It was  _ Long Weekend _ by Trevor Wilson. She turned on her side, watching Luke do the same.

“So you wrote this huh? What was your inspiration?”  _ A cute girl probably _ , Julie mused in the quiet comfort of her mind. Or at least she thought it was the quiet comfort. It was only when the guitar player chuckled softly that she realized, she had said it out loud. This is the part where she would be embarrassed, but she was so entranced by Luke’s breath fanning her face. 

“No, talk to Reggie and Alex. Or even Bobby. They’ll tell you I didn’t date, except for a few times before I ran away from home that turned into complete disasters because neither one of them could understand why I talked about music so much. I was a musician, who had a band. Of course, I wanted to talk about music...” He trailed off listening for a moment, “Those record people may not have let him give us credit. But it sounds the same-the arrangement of it. Just like we performed it back in the nineties.” 

“I’m sorry that you can’t have credit for your music. You’ll have credit for our music though. You, Alex, and Reggie. I’ll make sure of it.” Julie moved in closer, as her head fell on his shoulder. She felt it as his hand moved to play with her hair. 

“All that matters is that Bobby tried to give us credit and when that didn’t work, he told our families. Because he was right. I care more about a musical connection with people than I do about the credit.” His voice was tinged with just a hint of sadness though, so Julie squeezed his hand. Luke shook his head a little and the ends of his hair tickled her cheek, “And this song and  _ Late Last Night  _ is about me and the boys. With us playing everywhere we could, there were a bunch of late nights and a few long weekends that our parents still don’t know about. Unless Bobby told them.” 

“You know maybe that’s the connection,” Julie yawned, her words coming out slurred.

“Connection?” The guitar player repeated. He felt Julie’s nod more than he saw it. Then he saw her brown eyes hazy with sleep peer up at him, “Yeah, maybe it’s not just my mom that connects you to me. But Sunset Curve’s music, the fact that your songs introduced me to rock and influenced my music taste. It may be Trevor’s voice. But they're your words. You and the guys have always been in my life, we just didn’t know it.” Another yawn left her mouth as her eyes fell shut. They stayed like that before they fluttered open.

“I never thought of that.” 

“Mmmm,” she hummed in response, her eyes drifting shut again, “Thanks for being here Luke.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, Jules.” He promised softly, but when he looked down, the girl was already asleep. Her quiet snores joining the background noise of the music playing softly. He wrapped his free arm around her as he settled in for the next few hours because if it could help Julie feel a little bit better, then he didn’t mind being her pillow. “Sweet dreams, Jules.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed it! I tried doing something different with my writing, so maybe let me know your thoughts? Happy Valentine's Day!


End file.
